What to Do
by nina217
Summary: One shot. Hermione reveals her true feelings about Harry’s affect on her. Set during OotP. RR.


Disclaimer: Everything Harry Potter is all JK Rowling.

Ok, this is just a one shot, but this is a scene that I think, if placed in OotP would have changed a lot. This is around the time where people keep thinking Hermione and Harry are going out. Hermione reveals her true feelings about Harry's affect on her.

What To Do

After dinner one evening, the Gryffindors headed back to their tower. Group by group, the different years ventured off to their dormitories, and soon there was only Harry and Hermione left in the common room. Ron had headed to sleep after he had just spent about an hour trying to convince Hermione to do his Potions homework for him ("Ron, you have to learn for yourself. Getting someone else to do your work for you is not going to help you pass fifth year. Think about your future Ronald."). Hermione was finishing up a hat for SPEW, while Harry was staring into the fire, thinking.

"What's on your mind Harry? You seem a little quiet tonight." asked Hermione.

"I was just thinking what they wrote in the Daily Prophet. About us." Hermione looked up, but then quickly looked down as if she could care less.

"What about it? It's all a bunch of rubbish, you know that. I know they're not true, you know they're not true."

"But the rest of the world doesn't," he sighed.

"You shouldn't be worrying about it, Harry. There are more important things." she looked at him. He didn't seem so convinced. "You don't believe me? Harry, you of all people should not be concerned about these petty things. If anyone should worry, it's me."

"Why?" asked Harry.

"Well, they're probably going to start following me around and criticizing everything I do now. But why do even mind, Harry?" he looked away from her. "Oh, no. Not Cho?" Harry nodded.

"Oh my god Harry, she must know that all of that is rubbish. You've told her that right?"

"Well, yeah, but she doesn't believe me."

Hermione sighed. "Harry if you feel that something should be done about this, what do you suggest? That you should be caught making out with Cho, and seemingly cheating on me? What a scandal. Front page." she started to giggle.

"It's not funny Hermione." Hermione ceased her laughter, and suggested "Well I guess we could ride this out, and deny everything. It's not true, and that's what we'll keep telling them."

"But they won't believe us. This could go on forever. Unless we could just..." Harry looked distressed.

"We could just what?" asked Hermione.

"We could just, not hang out so much anymore." Harry looked at her, then looked away at the fireplace. Hermione just kept looking at him.

"Not hang out anymore?" she asked, sounding a little angry.

"Not all the time I mean. I can't not spend time with you, Hermione. You're still my best friend. It's just that, the more time we spend together, the more people will think there's something between us. We could have meals with other people sometimes, and work with other people in class. Just for a little while Hermione."

"So, what, we just put our friendship on hold for, for Cho Chang? The girl's mind is so clouded Harry, she can't see straight. You can't just say we should stop being friends, until people think we don't even know each other anymore."

"No, Hermione. I promise, once this all blows over, we can go back to normal."

"Back to normal? Back to normal?" Hermione was almost yelling. "Harry, it's never been normal. Ever since I met you on the train I knew anything to do with you would never be normal. You're the boy who lived! You escaped the clutches of death so many times, and have avoided so many dangerous situations people couldn't even imagine. You have Ron and I through so much that we didn't ask for, but got anyways for being around you. I've gotten this rubbish for all the world to see, and Ron has to deal with you being in the spotlight ever since first year. But we have dealt with all of this. And you want to just stop being friends for a while, so people will think we're not dating, even though we aren't anyways? Ron and I are your best friends, yes Harry. But we never expected this before we came to Hogwarts, and now look where we are." Hermione knew that what she was trying to say was much deeper than what she was actually saying. She kept going, "In the middle of the biggest war the Wizarding world has ever seen, and there are people who are worried about who you're going out with, rather than how you're doing, or what you have to cope with. Even you're thinking this way. Caring more about what other people think, rather than your own well-being. And you think after this entire hubbub, that everything will go back to normal? What do you think normal is, Harry?" Harry was taken aback. Never in his life had he seen Hermione look so angry before.

After a few moments she got to calm down.

"Harry," she started, "I've never been so afraid in my life for anyone about anything so important; about anyone so important to me," she paused. "And for once in my life, I don't know what to do." And with that she climbed up the stairs to her dormitory.

Before she left, Harry saw her eyes glittering with tears. He leaned forward and placed his head in his hands. For once in his life, he was speechless.

Please review, tell me what you think. It's only a one shot. I can't really remember much about OotP right now, because I'm so excited about HBP coming out tomorrow night, but I think everything should be about right. Also, check out my other story(ies).


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